A common Japanese gesture when preparing to take on a difficult task is to "make a muscle" and rub one's bicep, emphasizing strength. "''Yoshi!''" (''"OK!"'', or ''"Alright!"'') is frequently said with a determined expression when doing this, whereas Westerners usually just grunt. Compare to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:We_Can_Do_It!.jpg "Rosie the Riveter"]] image from World War II.

The gesture is [[AccidentalUnfortunateGesture frequently misinterpreted in other places]], as it looks very similar to the obscene "bras d'honneur" gesture, equivalent to FlippingTheBird, used in much of Eastern and Southern Europe and Latin America.

See also FlexingThoseNonBiceps, GlovedFistOfDoom and BicepKiss.

----!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]%%%% No Context %%%%%%* ''Anime/SailorMoon''%%* ''Manga/MarmaladeBoy''%%* ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl''* Kanna does this frequently in the ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' {{OVA}}s and [[Anime/SakuraWarsTV TV series]].* Fumio Usui in ''Manga/{{Karin}}'' does this in job interviews, declaring that she has faith in her body. Given that she is a mom who suffers from SoBeautifulItsACurse, this is definitely a mistake.* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':** Armstrong does this ''constantly''. Perhaps his tendency to do this '''''[[MemeticMutation WAS PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG FAMILY LINE FOR GENERATIONS]]'''''...** Ed also does it occasionally, when showing off his [[ArtificialLimbs mechanical arm]].* [[MemeticBystander Random crowd member]] [[MemeticBadass Bruce Ironstaunch]] ([[FanNickname not his real name]]) in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. He was most likely doing it for the original Japanese meaning, but [[Website/FourChan other parties]] figured he was just giving Rossiu an up-yours when he announced [[spoiler:he was executing Simon]]. His dour expression, on the other hand, doesn't really look all that supportive, which is why his gesture was interpreted as "Up Yours!" in the first place.* Koizumi does this in the ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' episode where the SOS Brigade logo causes a breakdown of reality.* [[FieryRedhead Agito]] does one as a proxy for Signum during the ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'' "After Days" manga special. Probably because having [[LadyOfWar Signum herself]] do one would look really weird.* Ryouga tends to do the "up yours" variety in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. One time, in the {{OVA}}s, he combined it [[FlippingTheBird with a middle-finger]].* This is a signature pose for Monkey D. Luffy of ''Manga/OnePiece''* Shirley and Milly does this from time to time in ''Anime/CodeGeass''.* A lot of pics in ''Manga/{{BioMeat|Nectar}}'' shows Banba-kun doing this.* In the anime version of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'', as Joseph peeks on the bathing Lisa Lisa and admiring this pose, he does this pose to 'the audience' as he exclaimed ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpTEKTLVKCE "Niiiiice!"]]'' Which also goes for extra hilarity when you realize that [[spoiler:Joseph was actually peeking on his bathing ''mom'']]* In one chapter of ''Manga/TheKurosagiCorpseDeliveryService'', Karatsu does this towards a villain, in a context that suggests he's going for a deliberate double meaning of both the Japanese gesture and the ''bras d'honneur''.* In ''Anime/TransformersSuperGodMasterforce'', one is used by Minerva, of all people, when she talks about how good she is at making salad.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film]]* In the ''Film/StreetFighter'' live action movie, Guile does it to Bison on camera. The jury's out on whether he intended this in its Western interpretation or its Japanese interpretation, but given Guile's general animosity toward Bison...* In ''Film/BigTitsZombie'', two female characters sumo wrestle one another. The main character can be briefly seen making this gesture, although she does so while facing her opponent which could easily be interpreted as the Western version since both girls did not get along.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV]]* Worked its way into an episode of ''Series/{{CSI}}'', 'Crow's Feet'. Only, Nick did it because Catherine asked him to.--> '''Catherine''': Make a muscle, Nicky.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Music]]* Music/JoeCocker does this gesture on the album cover of ''Film/MadDogsAndEnglishmen''.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling]]* Wrestling/ScottSteiner is obsessed with his biceps, often polishing and even kissing them.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games]]* Bowser had this as his victory pose in the Japanese edition of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. However, since the gesture isn't very common in the west and looks a lot like slap-the-crook-of-your-elbow (which means the same thing as FlippingTheBird), it was changed to a double fist clench for the USA and PAL releases.* Similar to Bowser, the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' fighting game for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis has the Green Ranger doing this as his victory pose.* The Sailor trainer class does this in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''. Due to the aforementioned cultural miscommunication, the international versions of ''Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'' edited the sprite to put the hand below the elbow.* Frog from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' rubs his (surprisingly huge) bicep and grins smugly as his post-battle victory pose.* Bart from ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' does this from time to time, usually when showing his determination or when he does something awesome* Kanji from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' does this in his victory pose. The way he executes it gives the impression he has ''both'' meanings in mind.* Gene from ''VideoGame/GodHand'' does this as a taunt.* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':** Dan does this, which becomes more apparent in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV''.** Ken sometimes does it too as first round VictoryPose.* Both Marina and Theo do this during the intro to ''VideoGame/MischiefMakers''.* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe''. It ended up removed in the 1.10 update and was replaced with a fist-bump.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]* Hefty was seen with this pose as he was preparing for the Mr. Smurf Contest in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode of the same name.